The Complete Mage

Advantages: See Review
Disadvantages: See Review

...The Complete Mage: (D&D 3rd Edition Sourcebook): The Complete Mage is a sourcebook for the Dungeons & Dragons, (D&D), 3rd Edition Role-Playing Game, (RPG). I will try to write this review with the smallest amount of game jargon possible and apologise in advance if it doesn?t make sense to non D&D players. Although this review will be of limited use to most people I would really like to be able to read reviews of RPG products because they are expensive and vary wildly in their actual usefulness. For an explanation of Dungeons and Dragons role-playing check out the wikipedia page. To start with I should explain what I mean by Arcane. Some spells in D&D are granted by Gods to classes like Clerics, (priests), and Paladins, (Holy Warriors), and these spells are known as Divine spells. Other spells like those cast by Wizards, Sorcerers...

donnabroom 10.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Complete Mage - Wizards RPG Team

FREE DVDs

Advantages: Free trial, large choice, post included,new realeases
Disadvantages: see review

...I like movies and I like freebies, so when you get offered both in one swoop you?re bound to accept! I used my two week free trial with this company and remained with them for a couple of monthsbefore moving on to try many other companies free trials (and winning a new DVD player on Tesco DVD rental site on their free trial offer). I then had an email from DVDs 365 asking me to go back, and offering me a free DVD if I did so. I had just left Tesco (with my new DVD player) so I chose to go back with them. ∆◊◊ THE SERVICE THEY OFFER ∆◊◊ Basically it?s like going to a video shop and hiring films on DVD, except you don?t pay for each film you chose ? rather a monthly fee for which you can watch as many movies as you can fit in, for us this is usually around 8 a month (2 a week usually weekends...

dabmim 15.11.2004 · Read review
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Review of dvds365.com

Surprising Picture Quality - Panasonic DVD-S54

Advantages: Incredible picture quality when compared to my old non-upscaling player with a scart lead
Disadvantages: Sometimes disc drive can be really noisy when DVD's initially load.

...At first I wasn't convinced by up-scaling DVD player technology but was persuaded after reading an article in "What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision" magazine. Unable to afford a Blu-Ray player my sister and I bought the Panasonic DVD-S54 to match our parents brand new Panasonic TX-32LZD80 LCD television as their Christmas 2008 present. Admittedly it was a slightly selfish purchase as we both live at home and wanted to watch DVDs on the big new TV ourselves! We bought the player from the electrical retailer Comet for about £100 just before Christmas so there were no discounts applied. On Christmas day when opened we found a relatively small box tightly packed with the player in polystyrene packaging. All the components such as cables, remote and manuals were well presented in their own protective plastic bags, to keep them protected. The player...

bobbacon985 12.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of Panasonic DVD-S54

Competent, Compelling & Fun (The Innocent Mage - Karen Miller)

Advantages: fun, easy to read, competent, compelling
Disadvantages: shallow and derivative

...with the fantasy archetype, to fulfil his destiny. The Circle, a secret cabal devoted to preserving the old and forgotten Olken magic is watching and gently guiding him, as only he will have a chance of saving Lur when the Wall crumbles in the Final Days. The Innocent Mage, part one of the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker dylogy is an example of a traditional sword and sorcery fantasy which is known as a rather derivative genre, and the skill here lies not necessarily in producing something of startling originality but in using the known tropes in a way that will make for a satisfying, compelling tale that holds together and manages to maximise the page count (and thus the time of entertainment it provides) while maintaining interest and, ideally, leaving the reader asking for more at the end. The Innocent Mage does all that admirably: Karen Miller uses...

magdadh 04.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Innocent Mage (Kingmaker, Kingbreaker) - Karen Miller

Can the Innocent Mage save Dorana?

Advantages: Fast paced, exciting tale which is very well thought out
Disadvantages: None if you've got the second book ready!

...seems to him to be something to be ashamed of. Still, Asher lingers for a while and the prince's horse is very near him when suddenly it is startled and rears up. Barely thinking, Asher rushes to the scared animal and struggles to calm it. Whilst Gar is thanking Asher, who is quite abrupt in his responses, a young woman suggests that Asher might be usefully employed in the royal stables. Asher is hired. What Asher does not know is that this woman, Dathne, and Matt who runs the stables are more than they appear to be. They are part of a mysterious Circle who believe in a great prophecy that will affect the very existence of Dorana, and Dathne who is a seer is convinced that Asher is the Innocent Mage who will save them. A few months after Asher has settled into his new life at the stables, much to Asher's surprise Gar appears and tells...

wolfatgoogle 25.05.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Innocent Mage (Kingmaker, Kingbreaker) - Karen Miller

Perfume by Patrick Suskind

Advantages: Very atmospheric
Disadvantages: No disadvantages to a book, surely?!

...I think a lot of people will agree that this seems to have been a very popular book. Considering Patrick Suskind hasn't written very much yet people have really embraced "Perfume" as the thoroughly original and unusual read that it is. Set in eighteenth century France we follow the life of Suskind's fictional character Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. As Grenouille's character grows we become aware of his superlative sense of smell. His world seems to be utterly dominated by smell. So sensitive are his olfactory capabilities that he is disgusted by so many crudely manufactured scents worn by the rich French aristocracy. The catalyst for his maddening disgust of the smells that surround him comes when one day he smells the scent of pure unadulterated beauty. It comes in the form of an adolescent girl and, such is his hunger for this rich...

catrionagray 22.11.2005 · Read review
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Review of Perfume - Patrick Suskind

Review of "Master & Commander" by Patrick O'Brian

Advantages: A very good read, gives an insight into a sailors life at sea in the 1800's.
Disadvantages: This series of books is a little expensive

..."Master & Commander" is the first in a series of books by Patrick O'Brian. The story is set in the year 1800 and follows the story of recently promoted Captain Jack Aubery RN and his new acquintance Stephen Maturin. Captain Aubery takes command of the 'Sophie' and persuades his new friend - Stephen Maturin - to join as the new ships surgeon. Jack Aubery proves to be an able captain both in seamanship and in battle. We are told of gripping accounts of his battles - most especially against the Cacafuego where Capt. Aubaery gains the reputation of becoming Luck Jack Aubery. Stephen Maturin gains a reputation of a most learned surgeon, and in later books uses this to disguise his real brilliance as an intelligence officer causing mahem against the Napoleonic movement. This is a gripping book and along with a good plot line it...

sbenbow 12.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Master & Commander - Patrick O'Brian

Russian Revenge

Advantages: superb story, well written
Disadvantages: Conclusion not as dynamic as it could have been

...Background: I discovered this book while looking around a local charity shop the other week. I am a big reader and I was very impressed with both the variety and the quality of the books they had on sale. In the end I purchased three for just £3, which I thought was a great deal as the books looked practically new and all sounded on first glance interesting. About the author: Patrick Lennon was born in Cambridge in 1964. Following a successful career within a variety of Multi-National companies in different countries, he turned his attention to writing. He does this together with running his own business in Berkshire. It is his crime fiction writing that makes people sit up and take note of his name. So far he has written three highly acclaimed books with a new one due to be published in January 2010. Synopsis...

CPTDANIELS 29.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Corn Dolls - Patrick Lennon

The Honey Man

Advantages: Fabulous characters in superb story
Disadvantages: Nothing

...Background: All my family know I love reading, my particular favourites are either thrillers or adventure novels. So I was really pleased when I received this book for my Birthday from one of my Nieces. About the author: Patrick Lennon was born in 1964 and brought up in Cambridge. In his early working career he worked within Multi-National organisations, before turning his hand to writing. The book I am reviewing is his latest and third in a series that has Tom Fletcher as its lead character. Lennon combines writing with running his own business. Synopsis of the book: Tom Fletcher is a happy a contented man. After years working first as a Policeman and then a Private Investigator the 37 year old has now settled for a slower pace of life as a beekeeper. He and his wife Cathleen and twin three...

CPTDANIELS 16.12.2009 · Read review
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Review of Cut Out - Patrick Lennon

Konica Minolta DiMAGE X

Advantages: Super easy to use, light and portable and a great first digital camera for all
Disadvantages: The software is unsatisfactory, and the SD card included is far from what it could be

...This camera is perhaps one of the most user-friendly cameras that I have encountered. It avoids the trap of many other digital cameras, with only a few buttons which are multifunctional, as opposed to lots of one-use buttons. This combines with the easy navigation of the camera menus to make the DiMAGE very easy to use. The LCD display is also impressive. The refresh rate is much faster than on other digital camaeras. As a result, it maintains a sharp picture when moved suddenly. However, like many LCD displays, it is only visible face on, with a very small angle view. Moreover, fingerprints greatly affects the view and, although I haven't damaged the screen yet, it is prone to damage, especially from excess pressure on the screen. Other features help to make this camaera an all round good buy. The quick start up time, literally 1...

fish1n 03.07.2006 · Read review
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Review of Konica Minolta DiMAGE X